beyond hearing he was muttering imprecations on us. The young fellow
joined us a minute later with the question, 'What kind of a crank is
that you ran me up against?'

"'He's as nice a man as there is in this country,' said one of the
crowd. 'What did you say to him?'

"'Nothing'; he came up to me, extended his hand, saying, "My young
friend, I understand that you're from Kentucky." "I be, sir," I
replied, when he looked me in the eye and said, "You're a G---- d----
liar," and turned and walked away. Why, he must have wanted to insult
me. And then we all knew why our little scheme had failed. There was
food and raiment in it for him, but he would use that little word
'be.'"

"Did any of you notice my saddle horse lie down just after we crossed
this last creek this afternoon?" inquired Rod Wheat.

"No; what made him lie down?" asked several of the boys.

"Oh, he just found a gopher hole and stuck his forefeet into it one at
a time, and then tried to pull them both out at once, and when he
couldn't do it, he simply shut his eyes like a dying sheep and lay
down."

"Then you've seen sheep die," said the horse wrangler.

"Of course I have; a sheep can die any time he makes up his mind to by
simply shutting both eyes--then he's a goner."